A political solution: the problem(s) need to be listed firstPosted on April 24th, 2012

Asada M Erpini

Media reports on 23 April cite Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna as saying that the people in the North (of Sri Lanka) do not a need a political solution that went beyond the 13th Amendment. A UNP Parliamentarian on 24 April refers to a government statement that goes beyond a political solution.

“A political solution to the ethnic crisis should be found “¦”, says CPM Parliament T K Rangarajan on Sunday. He was a member of the Parliamentary delegation that visited Sri Lanka recently.

The government of Sri Lanka, too, refers to the political solution, saying that it will be reached through the Parliamentary Select Committee.

The common thread that runs through all these statements, which have been made by various individuals and political groups as well as the government, is that the political solution “”…” the panacea – will settle the problems that are supposed to be connected to the Tamil issue, ethnic crisis, Tamil aspirations, the lack of devolution or the absence of land and Police powers to the Provincial councils.

Before the government could implement a political solution, it is essential that the local as well as the foreign pundits who are privy to the knowhow on dealing with the problems in Sri Lanka clearly enunciate the problems for which such a solution is warranted. All that they have been doing so far is to talk of the ethnic issue, ethnic crisis or Tamil aspirations that do not allow anyone to work out solutions.

Furthermore, it is difficult to understand how a political solution will settle the perceived deprivations and the sufferings of the Tamils in Sri Lanka. Over 41% of the population of Colombo comprises Tamils, and those who clamour for solutions to the ethnic issue are a fraction of the 3.9% of the Tamils who may have residential connections to the Northern regions of Sri Lanka.

Let the MPs of the Tamil National Alliance, and those who are at the forefront of solving Sri Lanka’s problems “”…” both local and foreign – , list the problems that are specific to the law-abiding members of the Tamil community. Once these are on the table, the country and its rulers can then work towards finding solutions.

10 Responses to “A political solution: the problem(s) need to be listed first”

JVP, as usual and as always they are, is out of mind. – Suddenly, JVP play cheap politics with Tamils too or probably, JVP is fighting for Tribalists votes of TNA. Which ever way, what JVP doing can notbe the proper way.

JVP should understand, developed countries in the world are giving away jobs to countries where the labour wages are law. That is why outsourcing is very popular among employers of developed countries while their citizens are complaining about out sourcing.

JVP is guiding Sri Lankan workers to the same place by constant demanding of higher wages.

If JVP is honest and genuine. they should not accept higher wages and perks as politicians.

Root problem in Sri lanka is the “Greed of Politicains”. This should be solved by revoluion not by devolution.
A new revolutionary political system tailor made for us is the need now. ( Not the JVP’s stupid revolution of Socialism written in our constitution unnessarily).
Need to amend the constitution and get rid of all the Indian and so called socialist nonsense. It should base on the wisdom of Buddhism.

There is no need for a Political solution. So called ‘Political solutions’ for Tamil people is to upgrade the Tamil Separatist call and also upgrade the Tamil Separatist politicians !

(1) However, there is a need for certain sectors of Tamil people to be upgraded.

The Tamil ‘Separatist’ issue is tied to the Tamil Labor issues of the plantations sector in Lanka. Sort out the Tamil Labor issue and the Tamil ‘Separatist’ issue will be automatically sorted out. That is, give better deals to Tamil labor and also enable others to engage in such work, mainly in the tea sector. To this end, Modernisation & Mechnisation of the Labor sector is important.

In the Tea Plantations sector upcountry especially, Tamil labor is used extensively. I am no expert on the subject, but it is safe to say that the upcountry tea plantations are overly dependent on Tamil labor. The Tamil leaders’ (TNA) Separatist clout comes from this fact, even though the upcountry Tamils are represented through the CWC. Conditions in the Tea plantations need to be Modernised & Mechanised for others too to engage in such labor, beside that fact that Tamil labor deserves a better deal than continuing to live in Colonial times British built “line rooms” and picking two leaves & bud by hand year round. A short write up on the difficulties faced by a tea plucker was published in the LankaPage recently. The wages are tied to weight of tea plucked and it is very difficult to meet the required weight. Also, wages are reduced if the required weight is not met. This is quite unfair. One Tamil woman who lived in a line room with ‘lean to’ kitchen with a ‘takarung’ roof held down by stones, had 4 small kids, all under 8 rs of age. She is the main bread winner as the husband ekes out a pittance only, through odd jobs. See the plight of such a family ! She says she finds it difficult to meet the weight quota of plucked tea to earn decent wages to feed the family.
Tea plucking machines are now available, mostly made in China, and not expensive. In fact, these machines ought to be made or at least assembled, in Sri Lanka. Almost all the tea growing countries have now mechanised the process of tea plucking. Also, line rooms ought to be removed and better living accommodation provided for the tea estate labor, outside of the tea estates. Line rooms, after all, were provided by the Colonial British tea planters and are totally out dated. We think also that there is caste bound stigma attached to these line rooms and it is high time they were removed. Actually 2 or 3 story (or even more high rise) housing ought to be built in the upcountry to house labor and others. This woud save land used for buildings.

Also, the present day tea plantations are owned by the GoSL and the tea estates run by the old Agency Houses for the GoSL,
Am I right in this assumption ? If so, it is easy for the government to rectify these anomalies in the tea estates.

The rest of the so called ‘Tamil Problems’ are the same as the Sinhala, Muslim, Burgher, Malay, etc. problems, particularly in the rural areas – no different ! There is a need for potable water and electricity, schools & transport in some rural areas, but
these are problems common to all the rural folk, not just Tamils.

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